Dispensing and measuring closure



Dec. 21, 1937. J. G. WATTS fDISPENSING AND MEASURING CLOSURE Fiied July 16, 1936 ATTOR N EY$ Patented Dec. 21, 1937 PATENT OFFlCE DISPENSING AND MEASURING CLOSURE James G. Watts, Vancouver, British Columbia,

Canada Application july 16,

2 Claims.

My. present invention relates to the art of closures for dispensing packages, tubes, bottles,

cans, and the like and more particularly to a dispensing and measuring closure.

It is well known that there has been a large number'of closures and dispensing devices produced for the dual purpose of closing vessels, containers, and the like and for measuring out a given quantity of the contents. Those observed, however, have been of a character requiring either considerable skill on the part of the user or were so complicated in their construction that they either. failed to function smoothly, or were so expensive that their general use was prohibitive. In this present device it is believed that I have produced a closure and dispensing device which has been reduced to so simple a form that it will be readily workable by anyone and, because of its simplicity, can be produced so cheaply that in many cases it will be a saving to substitute the same for the ordinary type of closure now in use.

I contemplate the installation of my present closures on many types of package goods. They may be applied to paper cartons and boxes, sheet metal or tin cans of various types, to bottles, and tocollapsible tubes. The one requirement, however, for successful operation, is that the container, to which the closure is secured, must be small enough so that it can be inverted for charging my dispenser and then restored to its original position so the material can fall away from behind the closure and enable the same to be again put into position where it can be charged anew.

The principal object of my present invention is to supply a unit in a very simple form which will provide a closure and measuring device for certain commodities which are sold in the smaller sized sales packages.

Other and more specific objects will be apparent from the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawing, wherein Figure 1 is a perspective view of a container, employing my closure and dispensing device, the same being shown as broken in its mid-section.

Figure 2 is a fragmentary, sectional View, taken normal to the axis of rotation of my closure member with the container shown in an inverted position, and with the closure in its charging position. v

Figure 3 is a view similar to Figure 2 excepting that the closure is shown in its discharging position.

1936, Serial No. 90,970

Figure 4 is a bracketed, perspective view of the several parts making up my closure.

Figure 5 is a perspective view of my closure device showing a slight modification of the pivot arrangement. 5

Referring to the drawing, throughout which like reference characters indicate like parts, 1 designates, in general, my revolvable closure member. This consists of the outer closure plate 9, the inner closure plate l and segmental end members l2 and I3. This device is pivoted on one side of the discharge opening as I 4, of any suitable container l6. Throughout the drawing for sake of simplicity I have indicated the container as being formed of flat planes. It will be apparent, it is believed, that almost any suitable form might be as easily employed. One form of pivot arrangement is shown in Figures 1 to 4, inclusive, wherein end members l2 and I 3 are pierced at l! and 18, respectively, and the discharge openings at 20 and 2|. Through these openings, with the closure 1 in place within neck I4, is passed the hinge pin 22. This may be secured in place by soldering, welding, or by having one head as 24 formed on the pin, and then by riveting, or other suitable means, forming a head on the opposite end 25.

An alternate construction to this pivot arrangement is shown in Figure wherein pivot lugs 21 and 28 are struck out of the metal of the end members I 2' and I 3' which lugs in turn are seated within openings and 2| of the neck portion during the forming operation, or the operation might be reversed by having lugs struck out of neck I 4 to engage mating holes in member 1.

' The exact manner of constructing closure 1 will vary in accordance with the cross-sectional form of neck Hi. It is desired to call attention to modification in the arrangement shown in the present drawing. In Figures 1 and 3 pivot rod 22 is shown as moved away fromthe end margin, of neck l4, further than in Figure 2. This provides a substantial bearing for the outside closure plate 9 at 30 so as to provide a definite stop for the same. When this stop is of sufiicient extent it does away with the necessity of having ledge 32 provided in the neck of the container. On the other hand on the form shown in Figure 2 where pivot 22 is so close to the end margin of the neck it is found very desirable to 50 have this ledge to provide an engagement or stop for the extending lip 34 of the inner closure plate Ill. Further, in Figure 4 shelf 32 is shown' as depressed, or lower, than the two sides 36 and 31 of the discharge neck I4. The other extreme is where this shelf is on the same plane with the margin of the two sides and gives the outer plate 9 an inclined position of rest as is best shown, possibly, in Figure 1. In any instance, however, it is desirable that the outer plate 9 have a lip or end 39 which will extend somewhat beyond the margin of the neck and provide an easy means of engaging the same for partial revolution of the closure.

' Method of operation In using my device it is first necessary to close the device after the showing of Figure 2, then to invert the container so that the contents may collect in neck M. The container should then be revolved, to the right, through about 45 degrees or more from the position shown in Figure 2. The closure then can be opened by applying pressure at 39 and revolves until the inner closure 10 comes to rest substantially as shown in Figure 3. If, during this final operation, the container is further revolved so that it lies on its side with the pocket of the closure uppermost, a quantity of the containers contents will thus be measured, and will be ready for use and the remainder of the contents will be stopped from coming out by inner closure l0. To restore the closure to the position, as shown in Figure 2, it is best to invert the container so that the mouth is uppermost. This will cause the material back of wall In to fall back into the container and not be caught by the closing movement of wall H! which might otherwise pinch some of the material between itself and wall 40 of the container neck.

The foregoing description and the accompanying drawing are believed to clearly disclose a preferred embodiment of the invention but it will be understood that this disclosure is merely illustrative and that such changes in the invention may be made as are fairly within the scope and spirit of the following claims.

Having thus fully described my invention what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:-

1. In a dispensing closure, the combination with a container having a neck provided with a pair of .alined openings forming bearings, of a receptacle comprising a pair of angularly disposed inner and. outer plates and side Walls therefor, and said walls each having an outwardly extending lug adapted for co-action with said alined openings.

2. In a. dispensing closure the combination with a container having an open neck provided with an inwardly projecting ledge and a pair of alined openings forming bearings, of a receptacle comprising a pair of plates disposed at right angles and arcuate side walls therefor, said walls each having laterally extending journal lugs adapted for co-action with said alined openings, the inner plate having a stop extension beyond the side walls to rest upon said ledge when the receptacle is open and the outer angular plate having an extension adapted to rest upon said ledge when the receptacle is closed and to form a lifting tongue.

JAMES G. WATTS. 

